Sealing means for driving motors of submersible pumps



July 23, 1946. v. A. HOOVER SEALING MEANS FOR DRIVING MOTORS OF SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet -l Filed Nov. 6, 1945 Z m; H A. M m

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v; A. HOOVER 2,404,635 SEALING MEANS FOR DRIVING MOTORS OF SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS Filed Nov. 6, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J0 a? J? Patented July 23, 1946 SEALING MEANS FOR DRIVING MGTORS OF SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS Vaino A. Hoover, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Electrical Engineering and Manufacturing Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation oi California Application November 6, 1943, Serial No. 509,298

11 Claims. 1

This invention has to do, in general, with pumps of the type which are adapted to be sub-- merged in the liquid to be pumped. In submerged pumping the entire exposed part of the pump is subjected to the submergence pressure and other parts are also subjected to the discharge pressure which, of course, is higher than the submergence pressure. Heretofore, in pumps of this type the sealing means for isolating the driving motor housing from the submergence pressure have been subject to the discharge pressure. and it has been a principal object of this invention to provide a submersible pump in which the motor housing sealing means is not subject to pump discharge pressure and in which any leakage of pump discharge is vented and cannot enter the motor housing. It has also been an object of this invention to provide a submersible pump including a driving motor and in which the various seals which isolate the motor housing may be simultaneously adjusted and tightened from a common and readily-accessible point. A till further object of the invention has been to provide a new and improved sealing means through which the cable which supplies electric power to the driving motor is led into the motor hous- Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be made apparent by the following description and the annexed drawing which, it will be understood, are only illustrative of the invention and impose no limitation thereon not imposed by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals refer to like parts,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a submersible pump including sealing means according to the invention, and

.igs. 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged views of sealing means disclosed in Fig. l.

The pump device disclosed in the drawing comprises an intake 2 which communicates with a volute chamber 3 in which an impeller 4 i rotatably mounted on the end of the armature shaft 6 of an electric motor 8. The volute chamber communicates with two diametrically-opposite volutes I2, i4 having openings therebetween through which the liquid in which the pump is submerged is admitted to the space between the volutes and into contact with the sealing means for the drive shaft. The volutes discharge into the annular passage l6 Whichis defined between the spaced inner and outer walls 1 8, 26 of a cylindrical housing which forms a continuation of the volutes and surrounds and forms a housing for the electric motor 8. The passage I6 discharges through an opening 24 in the upper or outer end thereof and into a discharge pipe 26.

The volutes I2, [4 are circumferentially spaced adjacent the impeller, but at the discharge ends thereof they open into an annular chamber 3!] having inner and outer walls 32, 34 which, when assembled with the Walls I8, 20 are aligned therewith to form a continuous passage. At the outlet end thereof the outer wall 34 of chamber is provided with an outwardly-turned annular flange 36 having two steps or recesses 38, 40 in the inner periphery thereof which respectively receive the end of outer wall 20 of the passage 16 and an annular sealing ring 42. A ring 43 having an L-shaped section surrounds the outer wall 20 adjacent the flange 36, having one arm 44 parallel to such flange and one arm 45 received in the annular recess 40 in abutment with the side face of the sealing ring 42 therein. Bolt 48 connect flanges 35 and 44 and draw the latter tightly into engagement with the sealing ring, expanding the same against the outer surface of wall 20.

The inner diameter of the inner wall 32 of the chamber 39 is equal to the outer diameter of the and interiorly thereof receives and positions an annular member 52 of right angular cross-section, one annular arm of which abuts the inner surface of cylindrical wall 32 and extends toward the outer end of inner wall 18 of chamber (6, a space being left between the two in which an entirely enclosed sealing ring 54 is positioned. Jack-screws 55 extend through flange 59 into engagement with the rear face of annular member 52 and are operable to move it toward and away from sealing ring 54 in order to vary the pressure on the sealing ring.

An oil chamber 6% is positioned interiorly of the flange 53 and has an outer radial wall 62 which abuts the inner surface of such flange and is connected thereto by bolts $4, a cylindrical wall 66 which tightly fits the inner urface of inner wall 18 of passage I6, and a second radial wall 68 which is adjacent the motor end of the oil casing, all of said walls being integrally connected, and shaft sealing means being interposed between the radial walls 62, E8 and the shaft 6. Access to the interior of the oil chamber is provided by screw plugs (not shown) in the wall thereof which may be reached by walled open- 3 i s (not shown) through walls I8, 20 of passage I6.

At the motor end of the oil chamber the peripheral wall 60 thereof is formed with a recess 80 within which an annular sealing ring 82 is positioned. A split ring 84 is also positioned within the recess 80 and is held from movement in the direction of the motor by an annular ridge 86 which is formed integrally with the inner wall It of chamber I6 and extends inwardly therefrom.

The wall 68 of the oil chamber is connected to the drive end bell 90 of the motor by bolts 92, the end bell is connected to the stator 94, the stator is connected to the commutator end bell S, and the commutator end bell is connected to a cylindrical member 98 having an integral outer end wall I00, which is concentrically arranged within inner wall I8 of passage I6 and supports the outer end of easing I8, 20 in a manner to be described. The annular space between cylindrical wall 90 and the inner wall I 8 of passage I6 is closed by a wall I02 which is integrally or permanently connected to wall I 8 at its outer periphery and at its inner periphery is formed with a flange I04 the inner wall of which abuts the outer surface of the cylindrical wall 08. An annular cap I 06 having a peripheral flange I00 fits over the outer surface of wall 98 and is internally recessed at I ID to form, with the end of flange I04, a recess within which an annular sealin the drawings, thus tightening the sealing ring ing ring H2 is positioned and which may be expanded into tight engagement with the outer surface of wall 98 by tightening bolts II4 Which attach cap I06 to the end Wall I00.

At the center of the end wall I00 there is formed an axial opening through which extends the cable I20 which supplies electric energy from a source to the electric motor 8. The outer part of this opening is of greater diameter than the cable, thereby providing an annular recess within which a sealing ring I22 is positioned and which may be expanded into sealing engagement with the cable by means of an annular device I24 of L-shaped section which surrounds the cable and is attached to the end wall I00 by bolts I26.

The functions, purposes and operation of the various devices and parts will now be described. The impeller discharge flows through the volutes I2, I4 into the annular passage I0. There is no communication between the volutes or passage I6 and the interior of the motor casing which is. therefore, never subjected to pump discharge pressure. Any leakage at the joint between the volutes and passage I6, if not sealed by ring 42, will flow to the outside fluid within which the pump is submerged. Any leakage past sealing ring 54 will flow around flange 50 to the space between the volutes, which is open to the fluid within which the pump is submerged. The sealing means surrounding shaft 6 are operable to prevent seepage along the shaft, but it will be noted that even here the pressure would be only the submergence pressure and not the pump discharge pressure. Any tendency of the surrounding fluid to seep between the inner surface of wall I8 and the outer surface of the oil chamber wall 56 is prevented by sealing ring 82 and it will be noted that such sealing ring will only be subjected to the submergence pressure and not to the discharge pressure. At the outer or upper end of the pump any tendency of the surrounding fluid to pass between walls 98 and I02 is prevented by sealing ring I I0 which, it will be noted, is subject only to the submergence pressure. Sealing ring 02 between the oil chamber and ring 84 which is held from movement to the right by means of ridge 86.

It has heretofore been the practise to lead the electric wiring, such as cable I20, through parts of the pump which are subjected to discharge pressure, whereby sealing means capable of resisting discharge pressure must be provided. By the present invention, however, the cable I20 is led through the casing 98, I00 directly into the surrounding fluid whereby the sealing means I22 are only required to withstand the submergence pressure.

By reason of the described structure and arrangement of parts the motor and pump, including the volutes, ma be assembled as a unit outside of the casing formed by walls I6, I8, after which the casing may be slipped over this unit and secured thereto. Further, the casing may be easily removed from the unit without dismantling it and without disconnecting the electric wiring cable I20 from the motor, thi being done by removing the means which connect the motor and pump unit to the casing and then slipping the casing ofl of the unit and along the Wiring cable.

While I have described and illustrated one form which my invention may take, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments, as well as modifications of that disclosed, may be made without departing in any way from the spirit or scope of the invention, for the limits of which reference must be had to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A submersible pump comprising elongated spaced concentric cylindrical inner and outer walls defining a passage therebetween for fluid under pressure and forming an open-ended chamber within the inner wall, a motor within said chamber and having a housing attached thereto at one end thereof, sealing means between said housing and said inner wall to prevent the passage of fluid into the motor, an oil chamber attached to the motor at the other end thereof, sealing means between the oil chamber and said inner wall for preventing the passage of fluid into the motor, means for compressing the first-named sealing means, and mean operable by operation of said compressing means for compressing the second-named sealing means.

2. A submersible pump comprising spaced concentric inner and outer walls defining a fluid passage therebetween and forming an openended chamber, a motor within said chamber, an oil chamber positioned within said chamber adjacent one end of the motor and comprising axially-spaced radial walls and a cylindrical wall which is integral with the radial walls and tightly flts the inner surface of the inner concentric wall and which is formed with an annular recess in its periphery adjacent the motor, an annular ridge formed on said inner concentric wall between the motor and oil chamber and being adjacent said annular recess, and sealing means positioned in the annular recess and adapted to be compressed between the bottom of the recess and said ridge by movement of the oil chamber toward the motor.

3. A submersible pump comprising spaced concentric inner and outer walls defining a fluid passage therebetween and forming an open-ended chamber therein, a motor within said chamber, an oil chamber positioned within said chamber adjacent one end of the motor and comprising axially-spaced radial walls and a cylindrical wall formed integrally with the radial walls and tightly fitting the inner surface of the inner concentric wall, a flange extending inwardly from the inner concentric wall adjacent one end of the oil chamberjmeans rigidly attaching the oil chamber to said radial flange, and sealing means between the outer end edge of the inner concentric wall and said flange and being in sealing engagement with the inner concentric wall.

4, The submersible pump structure according to claim 3, comprising in addition means for compressing the sealing means axially of the inner concentric wall to thereby force the same tightly into engagement with the inner concentric wall.

5. The submersible pump structure according to claim 3, comprising in addition, an annular member having an L-shaped cross-section disposed between the flange and the oil chamber and having one arm thereof surrounding the oil chamber and being in engagement with said sealing means, and means for moving said annular member toward and away from the sealing means.

6. In a submersible pump, spaced concentric inner and outer walls defining a fluid passage therebetween and forming an open-ended chamber within the inner wall, a motor within said chamber, a generally radial wall closing one end of the chamber and being entirely within said inner wall and having an opening therein through which an electric cable is adapted to pass, and

sealing means within said opening to prevent the leakage of fluid between the cable and the wall of the opening.

'7. In a submersible pump, spaced concentric inner and outer walls defining a fluid passage therebetween and forming an open-ended chamber within the inner wall. a motor within said chamber, a cylindrical wall extending from the motor and being within and concentric with and of less diameter than said inner wall, a generally radial wall connected to said cylindrical wall at the outer end thereof and forming a closure for the open end thereof and having an opening therein for the passage of a cable, sealing means within said opening for preventing the passage of fluid between the cable and the wall of the opening, and an annular radial wall closing the space between the cylindrical wall and the inner wall.

8. In a submersible pump, spaced concentric inner and outer walls defining a fluid passage therebetween and forming an open-ended chamber within the inner wall, a motor within said chamber, a cylindrical wall extending from the motor and being within and concentric with and of less diameter than said inner wall, a generally radial wall connected to said cylindrical wall at the outer end thereof and forming a closure for the open end thereof and having an opening therein for the passage of a cable, means for sealingly closing the space between the cylindrical wall and the inner wall, and means for compressing said sealing means to increase the sealing effect thereof.

9. A submersible pump comprising a casing having spaced concentric cylindrical walls forming an annular passage for fluid therebetween, means closing said passage at one end and having an opening therein for the discharge of fluid from said passage, a motor unit removably mounted in the space within the inner wall, a pump impeller, a shaft operatively connecting the motor to the impeller, volute chambers surrounding the impeller and connected to said casing to discharge into said annular passage fluid delivered to said volutes by said impeller.

10. A submersible pump comprising a casing having spaced concentric cylindrical walls forming an annular passage for fluid therebetween, said passage being closed at one end and having an opening at said end for the discharge of fluid therefrom, a motor disposed in the space Within the inner wall, means connected to each end of the motor and extending axially therefrom in opposite directions and being respectively releaseably attached to said inner wall whereby the motor may be removed from its position within said casing, a pump impeller at one end of said casing, means operatively connecting said impeller to the motor, and means for conducting fluid delivered by said impeller to said annular passage.

11. A submersible pump comprising spaced concentric cylindrical inner and outer walls defining an annular fluid passage therebetween and an open-ended chamber within the inner wall, said walls being joined at one end of the pump to close said annular passage and having a fluid delivery opening therein at said end, impeller means at the other end of the pump having access to the exterior thereof, means for directing fluid delivered by said impeller into said annular passage, a motor in the chamber within the inner wall, means drivably connecting the motor to the impeller, sealing means preventing the passage of fluid surrounding the impeller into contact with the motor, means at the delivery end of the pump and disposed entirely in the chamber within the inner wall for preventing the passage of fluid from the exterior into contact with the motor and having an opening through which an electrical cable is passed to the motor, and sealing means preventing the passage of fluid through said opening and about said cable.

VAINO A. HOOVER. 

